Vancouver

Vancouver’s housing market tells a story that mortgage brokers know well — this is where dreams meet reality with a hefty price tag attached. With single-detached homes making up just 14.7% of housing stock, most residents call apartments and duplexes home, reflecting the city’s evolution into a vertical metropolis where every square foot commands premium pricing.

The numbers paint a clear picture: median household income sits at $82,000 while housing costs soar far beyond what traditional lending ratios suggest is reasonable. This gap creates the exact scenarios where alternative lending typically thrives, yet Tekamar’s maximum LTV here is 0% — we simply don’t lend in Vancouver.

Why skip Canada’s most expensive real estate market? The math doesn’t work for our risk model. When properties can lose 20-30% of their value and still cost more than entire buildings elsewhere in BC, even conservative LTVs don’t provide the safety margins our friends and family investors require. Vancouver’s market moves on international capital flows, speculation, and policy changes that can shift values faster than foreclosure timelines allow for recovery.

The city’s economic diversity — from tech startups in Yaletown to film production studios scattered throughout — creates wealth, but also volatility. That 9% unemployment rate reflects how quickly fortunes change here. Meanwhile, the 28.4-minute average commute in a city where parking costs more than some people’s rent adds another layer of complexity to property valuations.

Vancouver remains the gateway to BC’s economy, but for mortgage brokers seeking Tekamar’s lending solutions, look beyond the city limits. We’re the MIC for communities where equity actually provides security, not just expensive square footage.